1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to magnetic recording, and in particular to an improved design for a magnetic head especially useful with a magnetic tape system.
2. Description Relative to the Prior Art
A major concern in any recording system is that of the head-to-medium interface. Ideally, the head should make intimate contact with the recording medium to minimize the spacing loss as defined by the following expression: EQU SL=55 d/.lambda.
where
SL is the spacing loss in decibels,
.lambda. is the recorded wavelength, and
d is the head-to-medium spacing distance.
Various efforts have been employed, not only to minimize head-to-medium spacing, but also to provide easy and smooth passage of the medium over the face of the head, as well as to minimize head wear. For any of a number of reasons, prior art attempts at providing such head qualities are wanting: For example, in connection with a tape medium system, no known prior art head simultaneously
a. works to eliminate the space formed by an air bearing between the head and the tape, which undesirably serves to increase the aforesaid spacing loss, and
b. works to present a virtually invariant head structure--despite wear, and irrespective of the direction of tape movement relative to the head--to the tape transmitted thereacross, whereby the performance of system electronics, and tape tensioning and servos therefor, may be virtually standardized and/or uniformly operated for the full life of the head.
Prior art patents which may be considered in relation to the invention are: U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,887 entitled "Transducer Head Contour And Method of Generating Same", and U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,016 entitled, "Thin Layered Magnetic Head".